Building SMEs’ capacity for exports

Following the increasing rejection of agro exports, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) held a train-the-trainer workshop to improve packaging capacity of enterprises accessing the global market. Nigeria was represented.

Capacity building for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to access the export market has increased in recent times.

This is because so many small businesses have become the main driver of national growth through exports.

According to analysts, these enterprises account for 50 per cent of the total exports and create jobs for 60 per cent of the population.

Although playing such an important role in the economy, SMEs face many difficulties, including rejections of their exports in the international market.

That is why the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Trade Centre are making efforts to help SMEs access markets and deepen engagement in global value chains.

One of the capacity building fora on Trainers in Packaging held in Dares salaam, Tanzania.

Speaking on the training, Udofia said 25 experts from six countries participated at the forum. They included Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Rwanda and Zambia.

According to him, the training’s aim was to build capacity of trainers to provide guidance to agro-food actors, governments and other stakeholders on appropriate food packaging.

Significantly, he said, the content of the training was built around packaging standards, materials, branding and labelling, quantity and weights, quality of products, barcoding, food contamination and preservations.

On the benefits of the workshop to Nigeria, Udofia said:” In most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, poor packaging is one of the main reasons local food products cannot compete favorably with imported ones. Improving packaging of Small and Medium Agro-Enterprises (SMAEs) will contribute to strengthen the entire food supply chain, improve the competitiveness of SMAEs and benefit all food chain actors and consumers. This initiative will also support the government’s efforts in diversifying the economy from oil to non-oil based economy.”

He added: “The mission of the team that represented Nigeria at the workshop is to put an end to rejection of products, a case of our yam rejection was discussed.”

During the workshop an Intra-Africa Trade Promotion Mission campaign to promote trades among Africa countries was inaugurated.

The Nigeria Institute of Export Operations and Management Executive Secretary was elected the First President of the mission, while Mr. Oluwafemi Kayode was appointed country coordinator.

Over the years, ITC has trained a number of packaging experts in several African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and Uganda.